Dr. Néstor Gandelman, associate dean for research at the School of Management and Social Sciences, opened the event, which took place on December 5 in the new Business School building.
As a university, we have a responsibility to generate knowledge. One of the main ways we do this is through the research we will be presenting at this conference.
Dr. Néstor Gandelman
Many of the papers presented were co-authored with faculty researchers, as well as with researchers from other universities in Uruguay and around the world. In addition, undergraduate and doctoral students serve as research assistants on various projects.
Meet all the researchers at the school
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Marcos Segantini, PhD in Policy Studies
He published the article “Creative Entrepreneurs and New-Venture Performance,” which aimed to evaluate the performance of startups whose teams include leaders with professional backgrounds in creative fields.
Another study he mentions, currently under review, examines the impact of information about public funding incentives on the entrepreneurial intentions of college students.
Along the same lines, he is currently finalizing two additional articles: one that analyzes the differing effects of role models by gender on students’ entrepreneurial intentions, and another that examines the differing impacts on men and women of teaching entrepreneurial management through gamification strategies.
Finally, he highlights two ongoing projects that examine entrepreneurial decision-making and the relationship between crime and the creation or closure of businesses.
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Flavia Roldán, Ph.D. in Economics
He presented three areas of focus:
- Economics of Innovation,
- Competition, Regulation, and Market Structure,
- Applied Microeconomics.In the field of innovation economics, he examines the impact of competitive structure and public support on incentives to innovate; in one of his papers, he proposes a new measure of competitive pressure, and in another, he analyzes the link between innovation policies and non-technological strategic alliances.
In *Competition, Regulation, and Market Structure*, co-authored with Néstor Gandelman and Sofía Viera, he examined the effects of regulatory reforms on competition in network markets—particularly in the electronic payments and telecommunications sectors—based on data from Uruguay collected as part of an IDB-funded project.
In Applied Microeconomics, he is currently working on two projects. One of them examines persistent deviations from the law of one price in Uruguay and their microeconomic determinants. The other analyzes the role of scientific networks in shaping academic trajectories.
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Martín Pereyra, PhD in Economics
He presented two published articles, a book chapter, a paper currently under review (R&R), and a work in progress.
The work in progress is an impact assessment of the b_IT program, funded by INEFOP, aimed at providing people with access to tools that enhance their digital skills. The manuscript currently under review is the one mentioned by Flavia Roldán, which examines public support for innovation and its impact on non-technological cooperation activities between companies and other entities.
An article on regional development in Uruguay, based on a composite development indicator, was accepted for publication in 2023 but was not published until 2025. Pereyra explained that the indicator “uses information from various data sources”—the INE’s Continuous Household Survey, the OPP’s Human Development Index, etc.—with the aim of determining “whether there was convergence in the development trajectories of the departments.”
“The paper’s contribution is to put this into numbers, so we can see which areas would need attention if I were in charge of promoting regional development,” he said.
The other published article was co-authored with Flavia Roldán and Liliana Gelabert and focuses on the characteristics of public support for innovation and its impact on companies’ innovation activities in Uruguay.
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Francisco Rosas, PhD in Economics
At the start of his presentation, he mentioned that, as of this year, he has been serving as an associate editor for the peer-reviewed academic journal *Agricultural Economics*. He also noted that in 2023, he served on the organizing committee for an international conference on agricultural economics, which was held primarily at ORT. As a result of that event, a special issue of the peer-reviewed academic journal Agribusiness: An International Journal was published, with Rosas serving as one of the guest editors.
This year he published his first solo article; all of his previous ones were co-authored. It appeared in *Energy Economics* and focused on the economic aspects of climate change; specifically, he used a general equilibrium model to analyze Uruguay’s long-term climate strategy.
Rosas noted that his article, “An integrated assessment model of the impacts of agricultural intensification: Trade-offs between economic benefits and water quality under uncertainty,” published in 2024 in the *Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics*, was named the journal’s best paper of the year.
Finally, in the category of educational materials, he noted that after more than 10 years as a researcher and partner at CINVE, he contributed for the first time to the book *Understanding Uruguay’s Economy*, a text used in various settings, including upper secondary education, by co-authoring a new chapter for the book.
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Dr. Norma Pontet
On the one hand, he presented the article “Lost Productivity vs. Recoverable Productivity: The Invisible Component of the Cost of Obesity,” a study that analyzes the cost of presenteeism as the main component of the economic impact associated with the prevalence of obesity, highlighting productivity losses that are not typically reflected in traditional cost systems. For this work, prepared in collaboration with Dr. Ricardo Kaufmann, the Spanish Association of University Accounting Professors awarded them the award for the best-rated paper.
He also discussed the paper “Challenges in Implementing IFRS 18: An Exploratory Study in Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, and Uruguay,” in which he and a group of colleagues analyzed the challenges of implementing these new standards in various countries.
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Santiago Acerenza, PhD in Economics
His work falls into two main areas. On the one hand, his primary focus is theoretical econometrics. On the other hand, he serves as the “empirical/econometric component” of various projects.
Some of his works from 2025 included:
- "How Does Public Support for Innovation Affect Cooperation Among Firms?", a project previously mentioned by Flavia Roldán and Martín Pereyra. This paper was accepted for publication in the journal *Research Policy*.
- The Impact of Neighborhoods on the Accumulation of Human Capital Among Adolescents and Young Adults in Montevideo, co-authored with Néstor Gandelman, the faculty’s associate dean for research.
In addition to his 2025 publications, it is worth noting that in 2024 he was named a " Top Cited Author" bythe *Journal of Applied Econometrics*for having authored the most-cited article in 2023.
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Diego Telias, PhD in Political Science
The two papers published in 2025 followed the same line of research: how international factors influence domestic policy.
- “Promoting Autocracy in the Americas? Analyzing the Impact of ‘Black Knights’ on the Influence of Democracy Advocates”
- “A Demand-Driven Model of Offshore Autocratic Assistance: The Cases of China and Russia and the Rise of Autocracy in Venezuela”
Both articles were co-authored with researchers from the University of Trento (Italy) and the Catholic University of Peru.
At the same time, he highlighted the creation of the East Asia Research Group, a forum that allows students to deepen their knowledge of East Asia and provides them with the opportunity to work in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment.
Learn more about Diego Telias, who holds a PhD in Political Science
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Facundo Danza, PhD in Economics
His work focuses on environmental economics and natural resources.
Specifically, his research covers:
- Sustainable use of natural resources, specifically water.
- Adaptation to climate variability and climate change.
- The energy transition and its redistributive challenges.
- Environmental pollution and health (children's health).
His work on environmental challenges related to water use was recognized at the12thRaúl Trajtenberg Competition, held in December 2024.
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Nicolás Gambetta, Ph.D. in Accounting
The faculty’s academic vice dean presented the paper he co-authored with an Australian colleague: a literature review on how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) should use technology to accelerate their transition toward sustainability. They developed a guiding framework for these companies, “which will be very useful,” he noted. This has led to a second paper they are currently working on: the application of this framework to Australian SMEs.
He also discussed a series of articles that examine how the structural and demographic diversity of a company’s board of directors relates to the efficient use of key resources such as energy and water.
This year, one of his articles was recognized by the academic journal *Australian Accounting Review* as one of the journal’s 10 most-cited articles.
In addition, another of his articles was awarded the prize for best research paper at the 15th PRME LAC Conference in Medellín.
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Erik Caseres, Ph.D. in Education
One of his papers accepted this year examines the relationship between certain sociodemographic variables of students at a private university in Ecuador and their anxiety toward mathematics. This study was conducted in collaboration with two researchers from that university. It addressed four dimensions:
- anxiety about demonstrating one's knowledge in front of others (teachers, classmates),
- test anxiety,
- anxiety during math demonstrations in non-formal settings,
- students who choose a different major just because it doesn't involve math.
Another accepted article examined the use of Schoology by public elementary school students in Uruguay in the post-pandemic era. This study was conducted in collaboration with Dr. Eduardo Rodríguez, a researcher at the Institute of Education. They sought to understand how children used the Schoology platform starting in 2022, when in-person learning resumed, taking into account certain usage variables and specific sociodemographic variables, using an open-access database published on Ceibal.
It was observed that usage patterns were very similar—albeit slightly lower—to those recorded in 2019. “Usage dropped to a very basic level, and girls showed consistently higher usage than boys across all variables studied,” said Caseres. “Given that has large infrastructure for using the CREA platform, it would be worthwhile to investigate how it is being used for educational purposes in schools, beyond just coverage metrics.”
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Rodrigo Lluberas, PhD in Economics
He reviewed his two articles published in 2025.
In the first, titled“Learning in Low- and High-Inflation Environments,”they concluded that, in countries with low inflation, “firms are not informed about the level of inflation.” This is because inflation is not a problem. This article was published in Econometrica, one of the most prestigious journals in the field of economics.
The second study examined the impact of the financial inclusion program on households’ payment options, savings, and credit. It investigated the effect of the financial inclusion law on Uruguayan households’ payment behaviors and consumption patterns.
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Inés Pousadela, Ph.D. in Political Science
In 2025, he published two academic articles exploring " pracademia," a hybrid form of work that combines academic work with professional practice or activism.
The first, written by a single author, examines the role of pracademics in Latin American feminism, while the second, co-authored with four other researchers, analyzes how pracademics navigate complex institutional landscapes, construct hybrid identities, and generate social impact.
In addition to these articles, there is a book chapter published in the Springer anthology *The Future of Third Sector Research*, which offers a discussion of classifications of the third sector.
In the field of applied research, he published four reports and policy briefs: two on the challenges and opportunities of reforming the UN Human Rights Council (co-authored as part of a Horizon Europe project), one on investment in democracy for the Policy Coherence for Development Index of the Spanish NGO Coordination Committee, and the chapter on Uruguay in the Global Philanthropy Environment Index. As part of his outreach and public engagement work, he published some 25 opinion pieces as a columnist for Inter-Press Service, addressing issues of democracy, human rights, civil society, and social movements.
Learn more about Inés Pousadela, who holds a Ph.D. in Political Science
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Sebastián Moreno, Ph.D. in Political Science
With a high level of productivity at the intersection of sociocultural semiotics, political science, and cultural studies, the year 2025 saw six published articles, two accepted for publication, a monograph, and chapters in edited volumes.
One of his main areas of research addresses geocultural identities and focuses on exploring how territory and space acquire meaning and significance through discourse, narratives, and social imaginaries.
This line of research reflects his interest in political discourse and relates to the analysis of national identities and the discursive construction of collective actors in political discourse, topics he has also explored.
Another area of his work focuses on collective memory, with a particular interest in the post-dictatorship era in Uruguay.
Learn more about Sebastián Moreno, Ph.D. in Political Science
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Marcos Baudean, Master of Political Science
“The Challenges of Building a Legal Market for Adult-Use Cannabis: The Case of Uruguay” is the chapter Baudean wrote for the book *Drug Policy in Latin America*, coordinated by the Municipality of Montevideo, the National Secretariat on Drugs, and the National University of Córdoba as part of the Mercociudades project.
The research is based on a study the author conducted for the National Drug Secretariat and IRCCA, which included interviews with all stakeholders involved in cannabis regulation, focus groups, and an analysis of secondary data. The study involved 50 interviews, two research groups, and two focus groups; while it focused on the regulated cannabis market, it also addressed other issues, such as security, justice, information, and health.
Learn more about Marcos Baudean, who holds a master's degree in political science
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Matías Brum, PhD in Economics
He presented several areas of study:
- Labor market and poverty,
- Political economy,
- Urban economics,
- Migration,
- Environment and health,
- Economics, sociology, and philosophy.
This year, he has publications in the first two.
He published an article in *Labour Economics* on the topic of the labor market and poverty.
In the field of political economy, he published an article in the *Economia LACEA Journal* and, in the same field, has an article that has been accepted for publication, in which he examines whether Latin American dictatorships have any effect on people’s political leanings.
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Sebastián Monroy, PhD in Economics
He presented his current lines of research, which he is working on with a view to 2026.
In the area of inequality, fiscal policy, and financial crises, he is studying how rising inequality is linked to the likelihood of financial crises and how fiscal policy contributes to the growth of inequality
As for his current projects, he has two works in progress:
- Digital technologies, financial inclusion, and employment in Peru: two dimensions of informality and their impact on poverty.
- Congestion in aviation markets.
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Gonzalo Croci, Ph.D. in Security and Crime Studies
From the perspectives of criminology and public safety, several lines of research were presented:
- Analysis of homicides. It was noted that there are three major theoretical frameworks for understanding homicides: structural causes (e.g., inequality, education), contributing factors (e.g., firearms, alcohol), and institutional variables (e.g., corruption, police capacity and effectiveness).
- Violence in new areas. The study examines why violence is emerging in cities that were historically non-violent, such as Montevideo and Rosario, drawing on concepts such as the criminal environment, the fragmentation of criminal groups, and new trafficking routes.
- Impunity and organized crime. Latin America has the highest rates of impunity in the world. The proposal is to use corruption and the absence of the state as indicators of organized crime, rather than focusing exclusively on levels of violence and homicide.
- “Crime Script” tool. This methodology maps the various stages of small-scale cocaine trafficking in Uruguay (importation, transportation, wholesale, retail, sale, and consumption), making it possible to identify both gaps in public policy and the locations where criminal facilitators operate.
Learn more about Gonzalo Croci, Ph.D. in Security and Crime Sciences
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Ximena Fernández, Ph.D. in Research Methods
“I think that as a university, it’s essential for us to ask ourselves what topics we want to discuss and on what issues we want to have a voice,” he said at the start of his presentation.
He presented the GLOBE Project (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness), a large-scale study of cultural practices, leadership ideals, and general and interpersonal trust across 150 countries. Based on this work, two papers are currently being prepared, which involve the analysis of 144 societies that, collectively, account for more than 99% of global GDP and 96% of the world’s population.
Learn more about Ximena Fernández, Ph.D. in Research Methods
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Néstor Gandelman, PhD in Economics
“This was a good year in terms of publications,” said the associate dean for research.
One of his areas of research is competition and market power. In this area, he has published two articles on how regulatory changes affect competitive frameworks:
- "The Impact of Multi-Acquisition on the Payment System: Evidence from Uruguay’s Financial Inclusion Program" was published in the Journal of Regulatory Economics and was co-authored with Flavia Roldán and Sofía Viera, who, at the time the research was conducted, was a student in the Bachelor of Economics program and a research assistant in the Department of Economics.
- Together with Carlos Casacuberta (Udelar), he published a methodological article demonstrating that, in the presence of market power in labor markets, the use of the methodology known as the factor share approach was inappropriate for estimating production functions.
Together with Rodrigo Lluberas and Daniel Misail, they studied the impact of the financial inclusion program on households’ payment options, savings, and credit. Together with Santiago Acerenza and Daniel Misail, they studied the impact of neighborhood on the accumulation of human capital among adolescents and young adults in Montevideo. Daniel Misail holds a bachelor’s degree in economics; during the course of the last two research projects, he worked as a research assistant in the Department of Economics at Universidad ORT Uruguay subsequently began his master’s studies at CEMFI.